Infections

Winning the war against polio

Thankfully, due to routine immunisations, South Africa has been free from polio since 1989. There are, however still cases of polio in other countries. In recent years, the number of people affected by polio has decreased, but unfortunately, even a small number of infected people can put many others at risk.

Do you have a viral rash?

A viral rash is, as its name suggests, caused by a virus. Like viral infections, viral rashes mostly affect toddlers and children. They generally look like splotches, red spots or raised bumps, but this can change, depending on the type of rash.

Measles 101

Measles is an infectious illness caused by the rubeola virus. And although there is a vaccine for measles, it’s still one of the leading causes of death in children. The measles virus is found in the mucus of your nose and throat. This means you can get the virus by breathing in when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. It’s so contagious that you can get it simply by being in the same room as an infected person. If you haven’t been vaccinated and come into contact with someone who has measles, you are very much at risk of…

Can kissing make you sick?

Kissing is a love language. It’s a show of affection – but it does come with health risks! The good news is that with good oral hygiene, you can kiss up a storm with peace of mind… Diseases can be spread from person to person in several ways and this includes: Contact spreading: During kissing, or indirectly when you touch a contaminated surface or object. Droplet spreading: Infected droplets from the nose and throat may travel around a metre before they drop onto a surface. At times, infected droplets can linger in the air. You can get an infection through…

How to get bed rest when you have the flu

Your head is pounding, your nose is stuffy and you have a terrible cough. Your doctor suggested “bed rest”, but how are you supposed to rest when you feel awful? When you have the flu, your body takes a toll and must repair itself. This means rest. Staying in bed and resting helps speed up the healing process while attempting to soldier through your symptoms will only leave you sick for longer. A healthy person who rests and follows their doctor’s prescribed medication should recover from the flu within 10 days. On the other hand, without bed rest, a healthy…

What is pancreatitis?

Your pancreas is the organ that sits just behind the lower part of your stomach. When it’s inflamed you have what is called pancreatitis. The main function of the pancreas is to produce and discharge hormones and enzymes that help with digestion and regulate your blood sugar (glucose). How does this happen? Digestive enzymes are released through the pancreatic duct into the small intestine where they’re activated to help break down fats and proteins. Digestive hormones produced by the pancreas are released into the blood stream where they help regulate blood sugar levels. What is pancreatitis? Pancreatitis can either be…

What is cat scratch disease?

Your kitten’s little claws may seem harmless, but his scratch may not be. Cat scratch disease (CSD) is a bacterial infection spread by cats. The disease starts when cats become infected from a bacteria, usually passed on by a flea. The infection can spread to humans when the infected cat licks a person’s open wound, or bites or scratches a person hard enough to break the surface of their skin. You can also get CSD from the saliva of an infected cat if it gets into an open wound or touches the whites of your eyes. It takes about three…

How sick is too sick to go to work?

Just how sick do you have to be to stay home? But how sick can you be to qualify for a day off? Well, truth is if you’re really feeling unwell and especially if you have a fever, you need to stay home. You also have to consider whether you’re putting yourself or others at risk if you go to work. If the symptoms of your condition, or the side-effects of medication could cause an injury or accident on the job, affect others, or if your work flow is interrupted and you can’t focus, then you need to stay at…